Waking up at 3am is a common problem that can get worse with age, according to an NHS sleep scientist. Chester Maglo, an NHS respiratory and sleep scientist and sleep and performance coach at MattressOnline, has explained the causes of middle-of-the-night wake-ups and offered advice on what to do - and not do - to get back to sleep.
Why you're waking up at 3am
Your sleep gets lighter as you age. Chester said: “You get the majority of your deep sleep in the first half of the night. By around 3am, you're moving into the second half, when deep sleep is much less prominent. And this only gets worse as you get older.”
“Research has found that deep sleep falls from 18.9% in early adulthood to just 3.4% between the ages of 36 and 50. Time spent awake during the night also increases with age, rising by around 10 minutes per decade between 30 and 60.”
“At 20, you could've probably slept through an earthquake. At 50, even the mosquito in the corner of your room could wake you.”
Other causes: nocturia, alcohol, and sleep apnoea
You might need the toilet. Chester said: “Nocturia, or waking at night to urinate, affects almost half (48.6%) of men. An enlarged prostate can contribute to this factor, as it makes it harder to empty the bladder fully, so it fills again sooner.”
“However, this may not be the primary cause. In one study, more than two-thirds (67.4%) of patients who reported waking to urinate had nocturnal polyuria, meaning their bodies were producing too much urine overnight. So, paying attention to how much water you're drinking and when you finish drinking water can help you better understand the cause.”
Alcohol could also be disrupting your sleep. Chester said: “A review of research into alcohol and sleep found that you fall asleep faster, get more deep sleep in the first half of the night and the second half is more disrupted after drinking alcohol. Alcohol is a sedative, but it wears off after you're asleep, usually at the point where your sleep is the lightest. It's also a diuretic, which can mean more trips to the toilet overnight.”
“If you're waking at 3am after one or two drinks, now you know why. Ultimately, it's a trade-off. Have an occasional drink, but accept that sleep will likely be worse that night.”
Snoring could be a sign of sleep apnoea. Chester said: “Snoring itself is unlikely to be waking you up in the middle of the night, but it can be a sign of a condition called sleep apnoea, when you periodically stop breathing in your sleep. An estimated four million people in the UK have moderate or severe sleep apnoea, with more than four-fifths (82%) of men with moderate to severe sleep apnoea having never been diagnosed. If you're snoring heavily, waking up gasping, or feeling wiped out all day despite eight hours in bed, that's a clear sign you should speak to your GP.”
How to get back to sleep if you wake up at 3am
Chester advised: “To get back to sleep after waking at 3am, avoid checking the time, as research found that clock-watching can increase worry and make it take longer to fall asleep. If you're lying awake and getting frustrated, get out of bed, keep the lights dim and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy enough to return. Spending too long awake in bed can train your brain to associate it with being awake rather than sleeping.”
“It's also worth paying attention to when you finish drinking water, as regularly waking to urinate despite stopping several hours before bed could suggest your night-time waking has another cause. If this continues, it may be worth speaking to your GP.”
